Cultural Heritage Sites

This collection highlights the UNESCO-designated 'Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.' It encompasses the monastic center of Mount Koya, the head of Shingon Buddhism, and the ancient Kumano Kodo trails. Notable sites include the Kumano Hayatama Taisha, the 133-meter Nachi Falls, and the Tsuboyu thermal bath—the world's only UNESCO-listed hot spring used for ritual purification. The list also features Edo-period mausoleums, Kofun burial mounds, and Meiji-era coastal fortifications.

Cultural Heritage Sites — Harita

663highland / CC BY 2.5

A

Kongobu-ji

Kongōbu-ji is the ecclesiastic head temple of Kōyasan Shingon Buddhism, located on Mount Kōya, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

663highland / CC BY 2.5

B

Seiganto-ji

Seiganto-ji, Temple of Crossing the Blue Shore, is a Tendai Buddhist temple in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

Saigen Jiro / CC0

C

Niutsuhime-jinja Shrine

Supposedly founded before the 9th century, this UNESCO site is one of the oldest shrines in the region.

663highland / CC BY 2.5

D

Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine

Kumano Hayatama Taisha is a Shinto shrine located in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, on the shores of the Kumanogawa in the Kii Peninsula of…

663highland / CC BY 2.5

E

Fudarakusan-ji

Fudarakusan-ji is Tendai temple of the Higashimuro district, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. The name of temple comes from mount Potalaka.

KENPEI / CC-BY-SA-3.0

F

Jison-in

Though this temple may look quite ordinary, be sure it is one of the most unusual places of worship you can visit in Japan.

Reggaeman / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Niukanshofu-jinja Shrine

Niukanshōfu Shrine or Niukanshōbu Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Kudoyama, Ito district, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

顔なし / CC BY-SA 2.0

H

Inabane-Oji

A major gotai-oji shrine along the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route. Historically, pilgrims performed ritual ablutions in the nearby Taka-no-gawa river at this site.

Nekosuki / CC BY-SA 4.0

I

Yunomine Onsen Public Bath

A UNESCO World Heritage-listed hot spring used for ritual purification by Kumano Kodo pilgrims. This small stone-lined cabin sits over a natural thermal source that reportedly changes color seven times daily.

J

丹生官省符神社

A Shinto shrine established by Kukai to protect the entrance to Mount Koya. It is closely linked to the neighboring Jison-in temple as part of the region's Shinto-Buddhist history.

K

Tokugawa Clan Mausoleum

Built in 1643 by the third Shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu, this complex houses the mausoleums of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hidetada, featuring intricate Edo-period woodwork and gold leaf.

Kansai explorer / CC BY 3.0

L

Nachi Falls

Nachi Falls in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, is one of the best-known waterfalls in Japan.

M

Uwadawa-jaya Teahouse Ruin

Remains of a historical rest stop on the Nakahechi route of the Kumano Kodo, located at an elevation of approximately 640 meters.

N

Akushiro's Home Ruins

The archaeological site of a 12th-century warrior's residence situated along the ancient pilgrimage trails of the Kii Peninsula.

O

Doyukawa hamlet

Abandoned settlement ruins located along the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi trail, providing a glimpse into the historical rural life of the Kii Mountains.

P

第一砲台跡

Meiji-period military ruins on Tomogashima island, part of the Yura Fortress system built to defend the Kitan Strait.

Q

下里古墳

A keyhole-shaped burial mound dating back to the late 4th or early 5th century, representing the Kofun period in the southern Kii Peninsula.

R

Ichirizuka Milestone Mound

A historical distance marker mound located along the Kumano Kodo trail, used by travelers to measure progress across the mountainous terrain.

S

紀伊半島大水害記念碑

A memorial dedicated to the victims of the devastating 2011 floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Talas in the Kii Peninsula.

T

メモリアルモニュメント

A commemorative structure located in the mountainous Nachikatsuura region, associated with local historical remembrance.